Such sites existing are not the problem. The problem is the cultures that accept and even Foster such sites. Authoritarian ideologies, leninist or fascist. They rely on conspiracy-minded dogmatic rhetoric and propaganda to keep us divided and fighting.
Education, fostering a culture of learning, merciles ridicule of any of that would reject it. There was a time that anyone screaming about the water turning the freaking frogs gay. Would only be seen standing on street corners smeared in their own shit as everyone shunned them. Not as an influential leader outside of small religious cults. You can never do away with them completely. But as a society we used to do much better about it. Boomers normalized it, us gen-x tolerated it, and it became a fact of life for millennials. Hopefully the Zoomers will finally start the push back the other direction. And those of us that are sane in the previous generations can show solidarity and support more than in that.
Especially for religious identity and other identity politics.
The way to flip such positions is to provide role models, people who are still clearly identified in the group, but who embrace – to the degree possible – tolerant liberal democratic evidence-based social structures.
Those are unreachable regardless. Making it socially unacceptable will keep many from falling into the trap at least. They should of course always be given a chance to change their minds and grow. But they have to have a reason to want to change. Which is why ridicule and social stigma are an important aspect.
Yep, anyone who rails against education as an enemy is definitionally not a good person or group. Here in the United States that has been conservatives for the past nearly 60 years, and this is all been normal.
TBF, there is a system in the US that tends to enforce mediocrity, spends a lot of money on bloated administration, and is both fearful of competition and willing to resort to politically dirty tricks to maintain their education monopoly.
I remember a Steve Jobs interview in Wired many years ago, he said his wish was for a group of energetic people graduating college to be able to start a school, just as readily as they could start a restaurant or a landscaping business – both of which, it should be pointed out, are regulated industries with licensing and safety standards.
There’s good reason it’s government administrated though. The competition model only works in urban environments. And even then. Those magnet schools etc are often just as big a part of the problem. Creating large disparities at best. Or a slightly more expensive failure mill on average.
There should be more leeway on a state by state basis to decide instruction methods etc. Provided they can satisfy core competencies. Part of the problem of the last 50 years is that we’ve let the most anti-education State set the standard for Education Nationwide simply because of their size.
Such sites existing are not the problem. The problem is the cultures that accept and even Foster such sites. Authoritarian ideologies, leninist or fascist. They rely on conspiracy-minded dogmatic rhetoric and propaganda to keep us divided and fighting.
How do you change that culture without eliminating the type of content that feeds that culture?
Education, fostering a culture of learning, merciles ridicule of any of that would reject it. There was a time that anyone screaming about the water turning the freaking frogs gay. Would only be seen standing on street corners smeared in their own shit as everyone shunned them. Not as an influential leader outside of small religious cults. You can never do away with them completely. But as a society we used to do much better about it. Boomers normalized it, us gen-x tolerated it, and it became a fact of life for millennials. Hopefully the Zoomers will finally start the push back the other direction. And those of us that are sane in the previous generations can show solidarity and support more than in that.
… only entrenches people in their positions
Especially for religious identity and other identity politics.
The way to flip such positions is to provide role models, people who are still clearly identified in the group, but who embrace – to the degree possible – tolerant liberal democratic evidence-based social structures.
Those are unreachable regardless. Making it socially unacceptable will keep many from falling into the trap at least. They should of course always be given a chance to change their minds and grow. But they have to have a reason to want to change. Which is why ridicule and social stigma are an important aspect.
“We are in a race between education and oblivion” -R B Fuller
Yep, anyone who rails against education as an enemy is definitionally not a good person or group. Here in the United States that has been conservatives for the past nearly 60 years, and this is all been normal.
TBF, there is a system in the US that tends to enforce mediocrity, spends a lot of money on bloated administration, and is both fearful of competition and willing to resort to politically dirty tricks to maintain their education monopoly.
I remember a Steve Jobs interview in Wired many years ago, he said his wish was for a group of energetic people graduating college to be able to start a school, just as readily as they could start a restaurant or a landscaping business – both of which, it should be pointed out, are regulated industries with licensing and safety standards.
There’s good reason it’s government administrated though. The competition model only works in urban environments. And even then. Those magnet schools etc are often just as big a part of the problem. Creating large disparities at best. Or a slightly more expensive failure mill on average.
There should be more leeway on a state by state basis to decide instruction methods etc. Provided they can satisfy core competencies. Part of the problem of the last 50 years is that we’ve let the most anti-education State set the standard for Education Nationwide simply because of their size.
I live in a rural area, my kids went to Montessori. 30 mins drive each way for me.
And of course there is the Internet now. It is not a drop-in replacement, but for some kids and some subjects it works very well.
We can have regulation, education requirements, and standards while still encouraging healthy competition.